November rad girls check in here!!

Hi Linda,

Yesterday, I completed my rads.(25). It does pass fairly quickly and is much more tolerable than chemo!!  I watched the clock at every tx. and it took 7 minutes from the 1st to the last zap!!!  It took me longer to get re-dressed after tx. because I always put my aloe gel and moisturizers on the tx site. 

I now have the swelling under my arm and where it joins my torso. I was also told that it would go away after rads.. I sure hope it does-it is pretty uncomfortable at this point. I do have a skin reaction going on-just a very itchy red rash but atleast it has not blistered. I'm pretty sure it will peel but I can live with that. It's on my upper back and chest but the worst part is around the collarbone where there is not much tissue to absorb the rads.  Keep up with the stretching and range of motion exercises. I find doing them in the shower after the warm water has loosened up my muscles is best. Do you find that everything tightens up in the evening?  I wish you the best with your remaining tx & recovery!   Chattie

Arby,

Every time I asked the techs. a question about reaction of my body to the rads, they told me that was a question for the Doc. Being in the medical field myself, I understand that they aren't allowed to answer those type of questions. So I made a list for my weekly visit to my Onc. Radiologist.

I never had any reaction anywhere other than the area being treated. I would certainly insist on speaking to your Onc. Rad. about this as soon as possible. Occasionally during treatment, my L hand would tingle and go numb but it was because of the positioning(hands/arms straight up over my head.) Is it possible that your neck is turned at such an angle that something is being pinched?

How many more tx do you have?  God bless!  Chattie

Pam - Use the sick time! I tried to put on a favorite perfume I was "saving" today, only to find out it had turned bad. Boo! Live for today. Use the sick time. Use the perfume. Burn the candle. Use the china. What are we waiting for?

Ruth - Aquaphor under hot water....ok.....i'll try it. BTW, good job on the self-made gown. Good Idea.

ARBY - You tell your doctor about the neck/face redness. That can't be right.  And that got me thinking...(uh oh, someone get a fire extinguisher) why DON'T we have shields for our faces/necks? That's a great question. THEY leave the room altogether...I asked my rads dr about the possible damage to my lungs, and he said the same thing as the tech. It's such a small area that I really shouldn't notice it. Ok, the FOCUSED BEAM is hitting a small area, but what about any stray beams?

Bottom line is I just can't worry about it, because I can't do anything about it. BTW, Arby we're on the same schedule. I did #13 today.

Hi all

#12 done this morning, 21 to go.  I go M, T & Wed, and Friday.  I was given the option of skipping next Friday, but I want to get it done and overwith.  Did anyone else get the choice?

My doc showed me pictures of the exact area being radiated and said it is focused very tightly.  That is why they want you so still.  I imagine there might be a little stray, but remember, even when you get a regular x-ray, they leave the room as well. 

I had the choice to not do Fri. but chose to go, want this over with, I did #13 today also and the fatigue has set in and nap a few hrs each day and drag the rest of the day.

I signed up for a program called "Look Good Feel Better" has anyone gone to this, its for women who are doing chemo or radiation and told you get a lot of free "Stuff".

      Connie, Best of luck with the treatments.  I call it my new day job and dress up for it.  You'll probably be on your way to something else and just stop off for treatments.  take it in stride and you'll be able to handle the eventual fatigue and slow down.  Mine hit after 8/9 treatments and I felt like a 3 yr old who missed her nap on those evenings.  So now I rest 30-60 min each afternoon. 

      God Bless us all for seeing this Thanksgiving and for our upward attitudes and our supportive families and friends and new friends.  I just love to hear what others are still doing, like aerobics and swimming!  I've been raking the yard and putting my flower beds to sleep for winter.  I imagine as I succumb to the fatigue it will take alot more inner pep talks to keep moving and exercising.  a little is better than nothing.  I found some chinese exercises at breastcancer.com that I've been doing.  there's gotta be more ideas of treatment options from other parts of the world.  But I'm glad we have the creams for the rad burns!! Have a good weekend.  arby

I completed #5 this morning.  I've been going through major melt down since Wed. 14th.  I, too, have been mostly holding it together since DX 7/2/07 and it's all finally kicking in.  I've been going to a local BC support group and yes, it is a wonderful group of strong women with great senses of humor - BUT, they also tell the truth!

There are numerous women, who are 2-3 years out.  Their original DXs similar to mine and they "started out" with "only" a lumpectomy followed by either chemo and/or rads.  But, now as they sit across the table from me they tell of recent mastectomies either uni or bi plus more chemo plus more rads.  It scares me to think!  Dare I think?  I've been crying since Wednesday.  Only 5 days into rads.  Breast is already "complaining".  I have 700ccs of fluid. This is in addition to my already ample breast! Talk about heavy.   Doc hesitant to drain right now - prefers I wait.  But, I feel that the rads have created a large, hard and growing monster.  There's now a rash, which I was told I wouldn't see for weeks.  Did I make the right choice?  I usually can find some humor, but not tonight.  I'm really scared, really sad and I want it all to go away. Ruth

And, further to all of this grief - tomorrow Nov 17, 2007 is Survivors of Suicide Loss Day and in remembrance of a dear friend, Michael (10-21-06), I will attend a local conference.   

PS:  Pearl Bailey Quote:  You never find yourself until you face the truth.

Hi - it's like a century since I was going through chemo and on the boards. Started radio on 6th and developed cough three treatments in!! General physician and chief radiographer concerned - the latter even asked me if I wanted to stop! Finding it very hard here in Hong Kong. Have had chest x-ray (clear - no infection so cough/throat hoarseness due to treatment), and will see radiology oncologist Monday next armed with questions. As my cancer was removed in May, this is preventative. He has to reassure me the risks of possibly developing lung cancer down the road outweight the benefits of non-recurrence, or even be flexible to change the dosage and extend the regime, If not, second opinion required!! P.S. Pure vitamin E oil on breast overnight has kept any sking reactions away - so far.

HI

I found I too will be having rads this month, my left breast, left top lung and middle back.  Apparently it is growing under my reconstructed breast just over the heart.  I asked about my heart, he said he would put a"bolis" under my breast which would make sure the radiation did not affect my heart.  After reading some of these posts I now have a lot more questions to ask.  I was a bit tired the day I met him and a bit stunned as  I had not expected quite so much.  Will be thinking of all you ladies in the next weeks.

14 down, 19 to go.

A little red, the rash appears more like a contact dermatitis to me, (little pin pricks with wake-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-ITCHY!) but they say it's typical to rads. Tech says my boob will be bright red by next week. (Good! hang me on a Christmas Tree!) And that everything looks like I'm right on schedule.

Using Sween Cream, Aloe Vera, and 2.5 hydrocortisone creme. Can't say any of them work.

I went to a Look Good/Feel Better class back in August. I'm sure there are classes that are wonderful, but I was pretty disappointed with the instructors at mine. It made me want to volunteer to do one. I'm not a licensed cosmetologist, but I KNOW I could do a better job than these women. I'd say go and see - hopefully you will get good ones.

LMJP - I'd be very interested in what your Rad.Onc. says about your cough when you ask him. Mine thinks my cough is left over from chemo. Could be - but it could also be getting worse.

LISaK You are great to be able to continue to teach through it all. My fatigue has set in. Yes I teach spanish and I fully understand the lesson plan thing. I am planning on taking leave between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a way I can take minimal leave and be absent a lot of days. i should be over rads by then and the fatigue should be lessening. I am so thankful my schedule if that of "scoot in as soon as you can after school and you will be our last patient of the day." I think we are a little less formal in West of US.

I am using Aloe Vera Gel. Sween Cream and a sample of Bifeen the nurse gave me. I have a bright red surgery site and several upraised brighter red spots that have broken open. 14 down and 21 to go. Yay I am 1/3 of the way done.

Have a good weekend all.

Hey, Ladies!

Guess I am the new kid on the block - I just squeaked in here. I will start on the 27th. I had my simulation and ordered my Jean's Cream. It is bittersweet - I am so glad to be at this stage in my treatment but I am scared about more disfigurment to my breast.

Bonnie, your words have echoed in my head since I was dx in May -One year ago, I never thought that this would be me...that this would be my life....I know that we have a ot to be thankful for - how many cancer patients would love for the chance for rads to be an option? But wouldn't it be great if we had somethig better than chemo, 6 1/2 weeks of rads and 5 years of pills? It is a long journey, that's for sure!

That big thing under your chin is my shoulder, Ruth. You can cry on it.

Big hugs and many Kleenex to ya.

LMJP ~ I too developed a cough and a raspy throat within a day or 2 of starting rads.  I told oncol on day 4 of this and he said. "I'll write that down, but it isn't likely rads have anything to do with the cough - the weather is changing you know".  What I'm finding, not only from the docs, but from rad patients is that if you are experiencing any kind of SE before the stats say you will or should - then you're probably looking to find "something".  Oh yes, I want to add pnuemonia or other virus to my health issues.  AND, speaking of other health issues...Anyone have Type 2 diabetes?  I'm told having breast cancer doesn't affect it!  I'm here to tell you that is NOT true and of course it does.  Also, my blood veins have risen to the surface of my skin, especially hands and fingers (do you think there's some connection in this being upper body?)  There's a lot showing up elsewhere all over my body.  I look like a blue paint ball hit me.  Think there could be a circulation problem.  Oh no - of course not - breast cancer and diabetes aren't a problem combination.  Gee do you think I'm annoyed like LMJP?  But, I have subsided my crying.  I said "subsided" not stopped.  I don't think I'll stop for quite awhile and I've decided that is okay.  Another thing that's bothering me is folks that say "ONLY having to have radiation is a piece of cake!"  A walk in the park its not.  I found a card the other day that says how I feel about those kinds of statements:  I meditate, I do yoga, I chant...and I still want to smack someone!  Here's to being able to stay focused on our healing.  Hugs, Ruth